“Wow, there’s actually logic to his insanity.” Troy muttered.
I couldn’t say no because I knew he was right. They both were and I did want to know. “Okay but only for a few minutes. That’s all.”
“Better than nothing.”
Our eyes looked back down towards the pool and the girls had taken out all of their weapons and were now sitting down on a bench taking their boots off.
Ruby was the first to stand up and she looked down at her outfit, her hands unsure about where they should go. “Ah, a little help?”
“What?”
“How exactly is this supposed to come off?”
Adele laughed from her question and stood up. “Come here.”
Ruby stepped towards her and she turned her around, undoing the laces that went all the way up her back to the back of her neck.
“Okay. That ought to work.”
Darius started to get tense when Ruby slipped her arms out of the dress and was pushing it down to her hips but I silently urged him to get control without even looking over. My eyes were on Ruby and her willingness to undress anywhere. Granted, they didn’t know we were up here and it was a bathhouse but still, I appreciated the view as much as the two next to me. Ruby was beautifully proportioned and there were no questions about why she enjoyed to show it off.
“Adele!”
My eyes finally moved and Jaylyn was horrifically looking towards Ruby like something was seriously wrong and I feared the worst.
“Ruby!” Adele ran right over to her and bumped her, making her tumble into the water.
I was a little unsure why she did it at first but it soon all made sense and I thanked her for it.
“What was that for?!”
“Think about it real hard.”
It was the marks on their hips that would surely draw attention to who they really are if they were seen. That’s the last thing I would want to deal with right now.
“Oh, yeah. Thanks then.”
“What do we do?” Jaylyn whispered, trying not to even open her mouth when she spoke.
“Get in the pool like that and take your clothes off in there. They’re all wet anyway. The water will hide them.”
Jaylyn nodded and walked over to the pool. Adele followed and they both got in fully clothed.
“What are they doing?” Troy asked.
“It’s the marks.” I said. “They don’t want anyone to see them and for good reason.”
“Oh, here we go.”
I looked down to see they had taken the rest of their clothes off and set them outside of the pool.
“Why was that so easy for you?” Ruby asked like she was annoyed about how they got out of their clothes without help.
“I may have made yours that way on purpose.”
“Thanks a lot!”
“Well, I know how you are. We could blink and you’d be out of your clothes.”
“Sorry that I like being naked.”
“Let’s not get into it here. Can we at least agree on that?” Adele laid her head back on the side and closed her eyes.
“I like this. This is nice.” Jaylyn said.
“Yeah. Finally, I get to relax.” Ruby replied. “My body’s been craving it.”
“I’m sure it has been craving more than that.”
“Oh, what is that supposed to mean?”
“Please, Ruby.” Adele sighed. “He is so your type. Darius has had your next victim written all over him for longer than I really want to admit.”
“That’s not even funny to say. I’m not going to kill him.”
“Are you really making sure of that? We already know of the incident we’re not going to discuss aloud.”
“And don’t forget about the more recent one.” Jaylyn smiled.
“I’d really like to.”
“Well?” Jaylyn wondered, her voice suddenly getting more rambunctious. “You have to tell us! Was he not kidding about—you know?”
Ruby paused for a moment while her stare was on her, trying to make sense of her question though it seemed pretty obvious to me what she was asking. “About what?”
“You know―how women can’t handle him?”
“Oh! Why would he lie about that?”
“I can think of a hundred reasons why a guy would lie about that.” Adele muttered, sounding not too impressed that she was part of this conversation at all. I wasn’t really a part of it but I still didn’t like it.
“Okay, well, no. He wasn’t lying.”
“No, just by your tone. You can’t risk killing him here.”
“It’s not going to go that far but also not stopping me from getting more later. It’ll be like last night only better!”
“I really shouldn’t be as surprised as I am. This is very typical of you.”
“And what about you?”
“What about me?”
“You want to enlighten us on the course of your afternoon?”
Jaylyn smiled and her eyes were on her as she waited for her response. I waited to see what she’d say too. This might be a good way to find out how she really feels or about what she was hiding. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, come on. Last time we saw you, you were completely against having any kind of relationship with Zayden whether it be physical or not and now things suddenly changed?”
“You know why. I’m not even going to say it within a hundred miles of this city so stop trying to make me and end it.”
My plan didn’t work. It only made me more curious.
“And what about the vision?” Jaylyn asked. “Are you going through with it?”
I didn’t have time to get interested in hearing what she had to say because she immediately snatched her answer. “No! What’s wrong with you? It can be worked around. Now, can we please stop talking so I can focus on just relaxing here for a while? You’re bothering me yet it somehow shouldn’t surprise me. You do it all the time.”
“Okay but one more thing. What about Jaylyn?” Ruby turned her head towards her.
“What about me?”
“Well, you are the one that hooked Troy to his leash first.”
I laughed silently and glanced at Troy. That’s almost exactly what happened if the leash in question was her beauty.
“His leash? I didn’t hook him to anything.”
“Oh, please. We’re basically not hanging from a scaffold right now because of him. You think he did that for us? Hardly. He did that for you.”
“Okay but it’s not like I ever asked him to.”
“Is that you admitting that you’re using his hospitality?”
Jaylyn’s eyes narrowed with a low yet fierce voice I’ve never seen come from her. “It’s not like that.”
“I don’t believe you!”
Adele let out a smug laugh from listening to them. “Well, what do you think Kole will do when he finds out?”
“He won’t do anything. We haven’t been together in a long time.”
“And yet you’re still sleeping with him.” Ruby smiled.
I tried not putting my eyes on Troy out of respect for hearing about this other guy but I almost couldn’t help it. He responded with an eye roll and folded his arms.
“It’s a mutual agreement.” Jaylyn said. “He doesn’t get a say in what I do.”
“I can think of someone who would throw in a rebuttal to that statement.”
“I know. Trever is going to—kill me. He always knows when—” She paused with a gasp. “They know.”
“What?” Ruby asked.
“They know!” Jaylyn said it again, expressing more worry openly. “They know we’re here! They know what we’re doing! We’re so dead when we get back!”
“How could—” Ruby paused too and started to get just as worried the more she thought about it. They seemed to know something we didn’t. “Oh, shit! He’s probably—”
“We don’t know that.” Adele cut in. I was thinking it may have been about her father’s gift. If he could really se
e the future, he might have seen part of this. “Just forget about it for now. This is a worry-free place so to speak.”
“How can you say that?” Jaylyn asked. “If they know, the second we step back in the city, we’re—”
“Please, Jaylyn. Mood change? Trever would never allow—”
“Don’t even start about what he won’t allow. I already know. I’m going to be in it far worse than either of you when we get home, starting with what you did to my look.”
“It’s what had to be done and we’re done talking about this. It’s clearly just making you angry and I don’t really want to fight with you right now so end it.”
Jaylyn sat back without another word. It was a little odd to see her behavior this way since she always seemed so happy and I knew our little spying game was over.
“Okay, time’s up. We agreed, remember?”
“But—” Darius began to argue.
“Go.” I pointed the other way just so he would.
He sighed, sadly turning from the balcony. “Fine.”
We walked down the stairs to leave, Darius dragging his feet but instead of turning left, he turned right and walked into the bathhouse.
I immediately tried to stop him with a soft yet urgent whisper. “Darius! What are you doing?! Get back here!”
He didn’t listen of course and kept walking.
Troy and I went after him but he already made it in by the time we caught up.
“Hey ladies, great show you put on.”
The Kalu Assassins picked up their heads with smiles. “Thanks.”
“Sorry about him.” I said, taking Darius’s arm rather forcefully and pulling him back. “He doesn’t have good manners around—well, people.”
“No need to apologize for him, Zayden.” Ruby had her eyes looking up at Darius with her welcoming smile. “If there’s need to punish him, let me do it.”
Darius smiled back and I only put my hand on my brow with a sigh. I didn’t want to get into that kind of talk while they were indecent. “Not necessary. Thank you.”
“I find it quite necessary actually.” Darius still had his eyes down on Ruby and seemed to look forward to any kind of punishment she would conjure but I wouldn’t allow it. It sounded like sexual aggression to me and that could get him killed.
“Well, sorry to of disturbed you.” Troy said. “We’ll just be going and meet you when you’re done.”
We each took a hold of one of Darius’s arms with an attempt at pulling him away.
It didn’t work.
“Wait a second. I’m not finished here.” He held his ground, unable to be moved by either of us. It would have taken more force than what we used and at this point it was useless.
I sighed and turned back with Troy, waiting while Darius stood there for another second with his eyes still down on Ruby.
“Done yet?”
“No.”
Troy nudged me with a smile and a nod of his head. I knew exactly what he was thinking and smiled and nodded back for the go ahead. He was asking for this.
“All right, Darius.” I said in a sort of a fake sigh, trying to hide what we were about to do. “If you want to stay that bad, by all means, stay.”
At that very second, we pushed Darius forward with all we had so it would move him. He was too distracted by Ruby that he didn’t know what was happening until it was too late. He landed in the pool with a big splash. Water drenched the floor and Darius came up for air. His breath was heavy and he shook his hair out of his face so he could look right up at us with anger in his eyes. “You’re going to pay for that.”
He stepped towards the edge of the pool but Ruby got in the way before he could climb out. “Wait. Since you’re already in here.”
She pulled him closer to her and Darius looked down with a smile, delighted to put his hands on her body. I was almost delighted for him. “Never mind. You’re lucky I’m feeling generous.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure that’s what you’re feeling.” I laughed.
“Yeah, generosity is definitely the last thing on your mind right now.” Troy smiled.
Ruby ignored us and started pulling up his shirt.
“Don’t be jealous because you’re standing on the outside looking in. You’re the ones that put me here.”
“We’re not jealous. We could go in if we wanted to.”
Eyes shifted around and everyone in the pool were now looking up at me.
“Well, do you want to?” Adele asked.
“Why? Are you asking me?”
“Only if you want to.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“You never answered what I asked so it’s really up to you.”
Troy joined Jaylyn without an official invite and she looked right up at me and glanced at Adele. I didn’t know if I were ready for this right now but I did join her—sort of. I walked over to her side but sat on the floor outside of the pool instead of in next to her, not that I didn’t want to be but I had my own reasons.
“So, you’re not coming in then?” She asked.
“Well, how long do you plan on being? I have a thing about having to get dressed five times a day.”
“Really? A thing about it? Huh?” I should have seen it coming when she cupped water in her hand but I somehow mistook it as something else and she tossed it at me. “Whoops! Sorry about that. Completely unintentional.”
Everyone laughed and I wiped the water from my face. “Yes. Thank you.”
“Well, it looks like you’re going to have to change anyway so you might as well join us.”
I got a smile on my face as I looked down at Adele with locks of my hair dripping just above my eyelids and tried reminding myself that I liked seeing this side of her rather than getting angry about it. “The decision would have been a whole lot easier if you just said you wanted me to.”
Adele just continued to smile and leaned her head back. “I’ve got to get my fun in somehow!”
I laughed and leaned down to kiss her. I didn’t even realize that we actually did it in front of everyone until I looked back up and they were all watching. “What?”
There seemed to be no warning about this either. I didn’t notice Adele make any kind of expression at all but she had a plan and grabbed the back of my head and flipped me over her into the pool.
I came up out of the water, taking a deep breath from the surprise of being pulled in and heard the laughs. “I said I would! That wasn’t necessary!”
Adele pulled me closer to her with that innocent smile I enjoyed seeing so much. “I think I can get you to forgive me.”
We kissed more intensively for a moment then I took off my already wet shirt and sat next to her.
“So.” Ruby began. “You two have a real fucked up thing going on there, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?” Adele asked.
Jaylyn laughed. “Oh, please. Don’t pretend that didn’t just happen. Not that we’re against it. It’s actually about time!”
“She’s got a point.” Darius said.
“Let’s not discuss it, okay? I’m not going to talk about my personal life with you.”
“Fine.” Ruby smiled. “I guess we’ll just have to enjoy the sight for now.”
Adele sighed and rolled her eyes from her behavior. She was ready to end it or I would have. “Can you please—”
“Boys!” My father’s deep voice echoed around us and sounds of his footsteps got louder as they walked onto the wet bathhouse floor.
I stood up in surprise, not completely sure what he would do if he saw us with them like this. “Father!”
“Having a bit of fun, are we?” His voice sounded stern with disapproval just like I feared.
“We were just—”
“It’s all right, son.” He smiled, losing his voice of command but I didn’t know if it was a sign to relax yet. “I don’t blame any of you for wanting to be around these three beautiful women. It only adds to a grand homecoming. Does it not?”
“It sure does.” Darius held up his fist to him and smiled to keep the mood light.
My father returned the smile and held out his fist to Darius. “That’s my boys! So full of dedication.”
“As always!” Troy smiled.
He immediately cleared his throat to become more serious and I knew this is where he would say something to show his true disapproval. “Boys, can you gather your thoughts together, please? We need to talk. In private.”
I knew it. He wanted it in private so the girls couldn’t hear what he had to say about us being with female soldiers.
He turned to start walking out and we started to get up at his request. “One at a time!”
My eyes got wide and we froze where we were, looking at each other. His voice sounded not just demanding but angry and we didn’t know what to think of it.
“Oh, shit.” Troy muttered. “That’s not good.”
“We just got back.” Darius said. “We couldn’t have possibly had time to get into trouble already.”
“Is this a regular thing?” Adele asked.
“It sometimes can be.” I said.
“Well, who wants to walk into the fire first?” Darius asked.
“Me.” Troy jumped out of the pool quickly before either of us could think to move. “He’s probably going to be madder the more of us he talks to.”
Darius sighed. “Oh, great. Then I’m going after you!”
That would mean I was last and I already didn’t like where this was going.
Chapter 7
Troy
I looked back with a laugh at Darius’s eagerness to go next but kept going to meet Izin outside of the bathhouse. My smile faded when I saw him and nerves started to set in. I didn’t know what this was about. “You wanted to see me, father?”
“Troy. Yes. I apologize for doing this separately but I just wanted to let you know that I saw your mother earlier.” Why did Fate suddenly turn against me and make him mention that creature now of all times? I looked down at the floor with the thought; my mother. My mood would always change this way with talk of her and I wasn’t interested in hearing it but he continued despite how I felt. “She saw you today with the black beauty riding on the back of your horse. She asked if you were involved by her behavior towards you but I did not know the answer.”
Deciding Skies (Fate's Intent Book 2) Page 3